Ethnic Heritage
Baltimore Ethnic Heritage
ethnic
As a major seaport and at one time the second largest city in America, Baltimore has a rich ethnic heritage - arising from its position on the Europe-Caribbean-South America sea trade route. It should not be particularly surprising to learn that part of the legacy from Baltimore’s former years as a major port, has resulted in the largest single ethnic group in the city today being African Americans; accounting for over two thirds of the population. With white Americans making up most of the other third of the population; other significant ethnic groups in Baltimore include - Hispanic/Latinos, American Indians and Asians. The white population in Baltimore is mainly descended from settlers arriving from Germany, Britain and Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Spread throughout the year the city holds various ethnic heritage events to celebrate both the history and the contributions to the life of the city of the various ethnic groups. For example the Baltimore Caribbean Festival has parades with people dressed in traditional Caribbean costumes, steel bands and demonstrations of Caribbean cooking. Whilst the PowWow Native American festival provides an opportunity for those with a native American ethnic heritage to demonstrate their traditional dances as well as selling old favorites like buffalo burgers and Indian frybread. Of course it’s not just through special events that ethnic cooking in Baltimore can be witnessed and sampled. As well as there being the usual and traditional American fast-food outlets; Baltimore is full of restaurants cooking meals that reflect all aspects of the ethnic heritage of the city.
Some districts of the city give clues as to the diversity of ethnic heritages in Baltimore; such as Little Italy and Canton. However, Baltimore is no longer associated with the sort of social problems it experienced in the late 1960s; which were partly due to over-crowding at the time. An indicator as to how over-crowded the city had become is demonstrated by its population now - slightly in excess of 600,000; compared to approaching 1 million then. Today, each ethnic group fully respects and celebrates the others ethnic heritages, resulting in an ethnically re-constructed and modern city.